Ukraine Solidarity; Stop the War Mural
by David Solnit
San Francisco, CA – Today in solidarity with people of Ukraine a group or artists and over a hundred community folks recreated a giant version of a painting by Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko, called “A Dove Has Spread Her Wings and Asks for Peace.” Голубка распустила крила, хоче на землі мира
It was painted in Harry Bridges Plaza in front of the San Francisco Ferry Building and took place in conjunction with an antiwar rally and march (thanks to organizers Martha Hubert, Dolores Perez Heilbron, Cynthia Papermaster, Toby Blome, Adrienne Fong). The words “STOP THE WAR ON UKRAINE” were painted above the mural. Thanks to mural art team: Julie Searle, Bob Thawley, Misao, Ashley Laird, myself and Nick Gott.
On February 25, the Ivankiv Local History Museum, two hours outside Kyiv, was burned and destroyed by attacks in the Russian war against Ukraine. The museum housed 25 paintings by beloved Ukrainian painter Maria Prymachenko, whose art was featured on postage stamps.
Prymachenko, who died in 1997, wrote “Once, as a young girl, I was tending a gaggle of geese. When I got with them to a sandy beach, on the bank of the river, after crossing a field dotted with wild flowers, I began to draw real and imaginary flowers with a stick on the sand… Later, I decided to paint the walls of my house using natural pigments. After that I’ve never stopped drawing and painting.”
